Cane-harvester.



M. C. MOLLERB.

GANE HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 28, 190e.

Patented' Nov. 22, 1910.,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

nozutot M. C. MOLLBRB.

` CANE HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.28.19o8.

Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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"l @i Tumbes CM. cqMoLLERE. GANE HARVESTER. vAPPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 1908.

Patented N0v.22,191.

` 3 MEETS-SHEET 3.

y .l 5mm. nu fix/M ZKM/WK.

stalks prior to severing the same, and to UNITED 'STATES t' mannaro c. Montana, or our err, LOUISIANA, AssIGNoRor cnn-HALF To FRANCIS I..l

CRETINI, 0F CUT PATENT orrrola- OFF, LOUISIANA. A

CANE-HARVESTER.

specification of Lettersrtenf. Patented-Nov, 22', 1910 Application led November 28, 1908. Serial No. 464,894.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MEDERIG C. MOLLERE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cut Off, in the parish of Lafourche 'and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Cane-Harvester, .of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to cane harvesters, and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of its parts as hereinafter shown and described.

The object of the invention is'to provide'aharvester Whichis adapted to straighten the provide `means for conveying the stalks in relatively small bundles rearwardly, and, at the same time, inverting them from an upright position into a downwardly disposed position, whereby the said-` stalks may be shorn or relieved of their tops. The machine is provided with an exit through which the said tops may pass, and it is also provided with means for ejecting the stalks after they have been relieved of the tops and superfluous foliage.

In the accompanyin drawings 'z-Figure 1 is a side elevation of the cane harvester: Fig. 2 is a top plan- View of the same: Fig. 3 1s a side elevation of a stalk-conveying drum used in the harvester, shown with parts in section: F ig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the said drum with adjacent parts: Fig. 5 isa detailed side elevation of a cani mechanism for actuating the rippers of the said stalk-conveying drum. ig. 6 is a perspective view of the same. Fig. 7 is a perf spectiveview of stalk grippers used in the harvester.

The cane harvester consists of the frame 1, which is mounted at its rear portion upon the axle 2, which, in turn, 'is supported by the traction wheels 3. The forward portion of the frame 1 is mounted upon the axle 4, which is supported by 'the 'ground wheels 5. The'body or stalk passage 6 is mounted upon the frame 1 and the supporting axles 2, and 4. The said stalk passage 6 is provided with the forward bottom portion 7 and the rear' bottom portion 8. The bottom portion 8 is located at a higherelevation than the portion 7 An opening 9 is provided between the bottom portions 7v and 8. Theforward and rear portions 10 and 11 ofthe stalk pas` of the said stalk passage 6. is provided with laterally bowed sides, as illustrated in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings. .The portion 12 of the stalk passage 6 is located over the portion 7 of the bottom of the said passage.

The shaft 13 is journaled upon the frame 1 and lies transversely across the forward portion 10 of the stalk passage 6. The stalkconveying drum 14 is mounted upon the intermediatevportion of the said shaft 13v and i lies between the sidewalls of the portion. 10

ofthe'stalk passa e 6. The upper forward portion of the sai drum 14 projectsA beyond the upper ed e of the portion 10 of the passage 6, and t e said drum is provided with a concaved annular peri hery 15. The pe-` ripheral portion 15 of t e drum 14 is supported bythe spokes 17, which are attached at their inner ends directly to the shaft 13. The elongated band 18 surrounds the midldle portion ofthe shaft 1 3, and its interior diameter' is greater than the diameter ofthe said shaft 13.4 The arms 19 are attached to the lugs 2O at the ends of the band 18 and A the outer ends of the arms 19 arepivotallyl connected with the toggle links 21. VThe outerends of the toggle links are pivotally connected with the grippers 22 which, in turn, are mounted upon the pivots 23 carried by the peripheral portion `15 of the drum 14. The gri pers 22 project through openings 24, provi ed in the peripheral pori tion 15 of the drum 14.

The laterally disposed'bars 25 are carried by the end portion of the band 18 and the end portions of the said barsI are adapted to operate in the elongated recesses 26 of the earn blocks 27. The said blocks 27 are slidably mounted adjacent the inner sides of the Walls of the portion 10 of the stalk passage 6, and are fixed to pins 28, which project through elongated perforations 29 provided in the said Vsides of the said portion' 10 of the said stalk passage. The arms 30 are iiXed to the outer ends of the pins 28 and are provided with elongated openings 31, which receive the shaft 13. The levers 32 are vful*- crurned upon the outer sides of the portion 10 of the stalk passage 6 and are attached to the pins 28, which lie in the recesses 34 provided in the said arms 3Q, and which are longitudinally alined with the pins 28. The openings 31'in the arms 30 are of greater disage G are provided with substantially parallel sides,while the.intermediate portion 12 l ameter than the diameter of the shaft 18.

Inasrnuch Vas the pins 28 rigidly connect @erwin bemoved with reiationt'ouieshaft is y' i theja'rms blocks 27 tf'igetherf.willv be seen ,that when the said pins are movedl by `swinging Tthe-levers 32 that theblocks WhileI the `said shaft 13 passing throughgthe .openings'll of the arms 3() Will-serve as a ,A guideforl the said arms and through the conf necting" part for' the blocks 27. In yieW of* Y the `fact-that the recesses 26 are elongated and have their long dimensions horizontally disposed With relation tothe axis of the shaft r13 asthe'blocksQf? are moved as above indicated either-,the forward or rear endsof A. the recesses 26 are brought toward the axis o .157,

i lA.inffWl-iiehr the leversl32 arek moved., The

ofYK the shaftk 13 according' to the direction band] 18 'attachedto: the inner endsV ofthe ar'i'iisllQ rot-atevvithdthe said arms aboutthe axfisofthesshaft 13 asthe drum '14 rotates and'ilinasinuch as th'e rods i'c'arried by tliei fband 18 engagethefedgesof theYK recesses 26V -theffsaid rods are caused to. describerorbits t f andconsequently the arms l9are moved lon-` gitud'inallyfas the drum `14 rotates andthe vflongitiidiiial movement of the arms 19Y with:

relationlto'theaxis'of the shaft l3is gov- 'fernedby theV relative positions oftheeiids ofthe recesses' Q GFwith relation to Ytlievaxis oftliefsaid shaft `The rodsfrare held* iii-@contact with vthe edgesY of the recesses 26.- by.Y gravity and thereforeit is'not necessaryv I. itojV rovide guides or other means above the Y y omy ets yofkthe recesses 26V for `.themrods 125. Bysu'chmoveni'ent imparted to the rodsQv VVitgivill be sejenthat vthe arms'19'in; their` 10n- 'gitudinal movement will actuate ithe toggle'V ing-1 tie blocks 27,thegrippers '22 fcgifleach.v set-may be caused to swing Ytoward each.V

Y 'other at greater or less degrees according to the ainounto'f material jthatthey are't y t operateV upon. At'theforwardside .of the t drum 14 the saidgripperswillbefbrought together at their outer ends-whereby the stalks, (wliich are,y cut,as,hereinafterV dec scribed) fare clutched the grippers 22`and,`

as thes'aijdf grippe-rs Ypass Varoundto vthe ,rear portin'fjthef said drum; they arev openedV b'yfthel'ongitudinal movement ,ofthe arms l ltlfas' heretofore" described) nwherebytheV sta'lksrare liberated. Y.

' :'.The standardsi' ai'emounted atthe forivard'jpo'rtionof the'inaehine and the armsy 36 arepivoted tothe upper ends`V of thesaid standards.

rIhe forivard portions of Y the arms '2G lielin ad'va-iice'of the forward edge i fof'ljlie portion 10 of the stalk passage 6, and

the 'pins11,whicli, 'L in turn, are -lmounted y arelaterallyilared awayffrom'each other-as 37.".2-The wheels 3S are loosely" jonrnaled the] said ajrins are" provided With gated lslots 10,` which ireceive lly7 disposedpiiis orspokes 39. The -k ds'ofthearms 1; 11'6 proupon the outer sides of the sprocket Wheels 42,

"located upon theshaft 13.' lt is vobvious that when the said shaft 13 rotates and the Wheelsv l2 turnV with the same, that the pins 41 car- Aried. by the said wheels and operating in theelongated slots Il() of the arms 3G will rock'the said arms upon theirpivotal connections with the standards 35, and cause their forwardends to reciprocate vertically. This movement on the part of the forward portions of the said arms has a tendency to Vstraighten up the stalks while lthe spokes 39 .ofthe wheels 38 will engage the foliage carried bythe stalksand straighten the same I out in vertical lines.

vThe plate 43 is liingedly .mounted below the for-ward portions of the sides of the end portion' 10 of thel stalk passagel G, and is held in a substantially horizontal position and A iii .iiliiienieiit withvthc bottom portion l'7' of the saidstalk passage by means of a spring-44;, which isi-attached at one end to fthesaid bottom portion 7 ,Y and bears at itsl otherend portionagainst the plate The 'cutting disks 45 overlap each other and are loosely mounted at the `forward end portion of the said .plate 4:3V and the foru'ard por- .tions ofthe peripheries of the said disks 115 Vproject beyond theforward edgeof the said YThe pinioiis, 16d are mounted upon the shaft A13 andmesh with the pinions 47, which are suitably journaled upon stub shafts/located below the said sha t13. The arms .48

Hare pivotally attached at their lower ends to the sides of thestalk passage and the fpitnian rods 49are pivotally connected at theirloiverrear ends with the said yarms 48,

v'and at their upper forward endsarepivotally connected with eccentric pins mounted uponthe pinions 47. The cross bar 50 is carried bythe upper ends of the arms 48 Yand passes transversely through elongated slots-51 provided lin the sides of theportion v12 of `the stalk passaoe 6. .The said bar 50 is Aprovided at itsmiddle With an arcuate portion 52.".Which conforms substantially to the concavity of the peripheral portion 15 of the drum 14. The iinpaling lingers or tines 53 are mounted upon the intermediate portion ofthe cross barv 51y Vand are located withiny thelaterally-boived sides of the portion'lQ of the stalk passage 6.

It will vbe seen that, as the shaft 13 and the 'pinions 46 mounted thereon rotate, rotary movement is transmitted to the pinion t? which, inV turn, will reciprocate the pit- Y man Y49 andthe arms 48 will be swungupon theirV pivotsfwhereby the cross bar 51, car# ried; attheupper endsof the said arms Awill ,be reciprocated back and forth inthe inter-v mediate* portion y12 of the stalk passage G. 4This movement on the part' ofthe cross bar Vlffwillforcethe stalks Which have previou'sly'been'earried by the' drum 14, a way the said stalks to be deposited with their of the stalk passage 6.

The gear rims 5st are attached to the sides of the traction wheels, 3, and mesh with the gear wheels 55, which are mounted upon the stub-shaft 56, said shafts 5G are journaledl in suitable bearings 57, mounted upon the frame l. The gear wheels 55 mesh with the gear wheels 58, which are mounted upon the shafts 59. The said shafts 59 are journaled for rotation in the bearings 60, which are also mounted upon the frame l. Gear wheels 59 mesh-with the gear wheels 61, whichl are' mounted upon the stub shafts 62. Said shafts 62 are journaled for rotation in the bearings 63, which are mountedv upon the frame l of the machine. The 'sprocket wheels 64 are also mountedlupon the shafts 62, and the sprocket chains 65 around the sprocket wheels (34 and the sprocket' wheels 42. Thus rotary movementis transtops down` in the intermediate portion l2 mitted from the ground wheels or traction wheels 8 to the sprocket wheels 42 and the shaft 13, upon which the lastsaid sprocket wheels are mounted. The shafts 66 are vertically disposed, and are journaled for rotation at the outer side and forward end of the portion ll of the stalk passage '6. The beveled pinions 67 are mounted upon the said shafts 66 and mesh with the beveled pinions 68, which are mounted upon the shafts 59. The shafts 69 are journaled for rotation at the outer side of the rear por-` tion ll of the stalk passage 6 and `carry the sprocket wheels 70. The sprocket wheels 71 are mounted upon the shafts 66. The upper sprocket chains 72 pass around the upper sprocket wheels and 7l upon the said shafts, while the lower sprocket chains 73 pass around the lower sprocket wheels 70 and 7l, carried by the said shafts 66 and 69. The inner runs of the said chains 72 and 73 are located within the side of the rear portion 1l of the stalk passage 5, while the outer runs of the said chains are located beyond the outer sides of the said portion 1l of the said stalk passage 6. The chains 72 and 73 are provided with the laterally disposed spaced fingers 74;.

`F rom the above description, it will be seen that the shafts 66 derive rotary 'movement through the intervening connecting parts with the shafts 59, and that as the said shafts 66 rotate they move theV belts 72 and 73 in orbits, with the inner runs of the said chain belts traveling toward the rear end of the machine. Thus the stalks which are deposited with their tops down, in the intermediate portion12 of the stalk passage 6 are caught up bythe fingers 74 carried by the said chains, and the said stalks are moved with their `butt ends uppermost toward the rear end of the machine.

The plate 75 is hingedly mounted at the forward edge portion of the rear portion 8 of the bottom Vof the stalk -passage 6 and is held in a substantially horizontal position by means of the spring 76, which is aiiixed at one end to the'bottom portion 8 of the stalk passage, and bears at its other end against the said plate 75.

The cutting disks 77 overlap each other and are loosely journaled at the forward edge portion of the plate 75, and have their -forwa'rd peripheries located in\'advance of the forward edge of the 'Said plate. The forward portions of the said disks 77 are located over the opening 9 provided between the bottom portions 7 and 8 of the stalk passage 6. Consequently, as the tops ofthe stalksV move back along the bottom portion 7 of the stalk passage 6, they are engaged by the disks 77, which sever xthe tops from -the body portion of the stalks, and the tops 'fall down through the opening 9 to the `row of stalks is received between the arms 36, and are straightened up by the vertical movement of the said`ar1ns, as above de-l scribed. As the disks 45 come in contact` with the lower portions of the stalks, the said stalks are severed from the stumps and fall against the concaved peripheral portion l5 of the drum 1l. lVhen the gripping tingers 22 arrive at the forward portion of the said drinn, they are brought together, a-s above described, and grip the accumulated stalks, and carry the same over in a bundle, and deposit them in the intermediate portion 12 of the stalk passage 6, above described. Thus'it will be seen that the stalks, after being severed from the stumps, are in- Iverted in position, sothat their tops are downwardly disposed when they are located in `the intermediate portion l2 of the stalk passage. 6, and that as the said stalks are carried back,r the said stalks are severed straightening -wheels journaled upon the said arms. f 2. A stalk-cutter; comprislng stalk-sever- 1n-g means, stalk-straightening armsmount- .ed for vertical movement in advance of the said stalk-severing means, and foliagestraightening wheels journaled upon said arms and havingradially disposed spokes.

.Y .3. VA stalk-cutter comprising stalk-severing means,stalk-straightening arms mountkedfor verticalmovement in advance ofthe said stalk-severing means, said arms having y 'f vfrom eachother, and @foliage-strai l 15.

their forward end portions disposedrfaway Yglitening `.vheels carried by the said arms. i

, y t. A stalk-cutter comprising; stalk-severingmeans, stalk-straightening Aarms mounted forv vertical .movement vin advance -of the stalk-severingmeans rand having theirV forwardV end. portions disposed laterally away from each frotlier, foliage-straightening ,wheelsjournaled' upon the arms and having V'radially disposed spokes .f-

Y Astalk-cutter comprising a body havingfa stalk passageftherethrougma stalkinverting means located at the forward portonof the passage, stalk-severing means lo.

cated at the'forwardend of the passage, and top-'severing means .located inthe passage behind the said stalk-inverting' means.

Y v ,6. A stalk-cutter comprising a body havling a passage therethrough, a stalk-inverting means locatedjat the forward kend portion ofthe passage, stalk-severing means 1ocated at the forward end of the passage, topsevering means locatedbehind the'stalk-inverting means, and means for passing the stalks by the said top-severing means.

' V7. A-s'talk-cutter comprising'a. body hav ing a stalk passage therethrough, stalk-sev-A ering means located at the forward end portion of` the passage, stalkstraightening means mounted forlvertical oscillation in' advance of the passage and the said stalksevering-means, stalk-inverting means located behind the said stalk-severing means Y and within the said passage, and top-severing. meanslocated within the said passage and behindthe said stalk-inverting. means.

.8. A stalk-cutter comprising a body hav- 'Y ing a stalk passage therethrough, Ystalk-severing means located at the forward end of the passage, stalk-inverting*means located in thepassage behind thesaid stalk-severing means, `and having gripping fingers mounted' thereon, and top-severing means located withinl the passage behind the said stalk-ini verting y means;

V9. A stalk-cuttercomprising a bodyhaving. va stalkpassagetherein, said passage Ahaving its end/portions relatively constricte-d, with an enlarged;intermediate portion, stalk-severing means located at the forwardend of the said passage, Vand stalk- ""`65f investingfmeans, located between Y the said `tion ofthe passage. c

Astalk-cutter and the intermediate enlarged portion of the saidl stalk passage, and topsevermg. means locatedin therear portion of the said stalk passage.

10. A stalk-cutter comprising a bod having a stalk passage therein, said stal passage having relatively constricted end portionsfwith a relatively large intermediate portion, stalk severing means located at the forward end ofthe said passage, stalkstraightening arms mounted for osclllation' 1n advanceof the said stalk-severmg means,

a stalk-inverting means located in the forward portion of the said passagel and enter- -ing the enlarged portionl of the passage, and

top-severingmeans'located in the rear portion of the said stalkpassage.

11. A stalk-cutter comprlsing a body having; a `stalk passage therein, said passage having relatively constrieted end portions l with an enlarged intermediate portion, stalksevering means located at the forward end of Vthe passage, stalk-straightening arms mounted kforoscillation in advance of the said stalk-severing means,l a stalk-inverting means located in the forward portion of the passage, and having grippers thereon, and

top-severingmeans located in the rear por-y Y A12. Astalk-cutter comprising a body having a stalk' passage therein, stalk-severing means located at the forward portion of the passage, stalk-straightening arms mounted for oscillation in advance of the said stalksevering means, a stalk-inverting means located in the forward portion ofthe passage a stalk advancin T bar mounted for movement longitudinally along the intermediate the passage, a stalk -advancinv cross-bar` mounted for movement longitudmally along the intermediate portion of the said stalkpassage, topsevering means located .in the' rear portion of thepassage, and conveyer chains mounted for orbital movement along the rear portion of the said stalk-passa e.

, 14. A stalk-cutter comprisinga body aving ai stalk passage therein, said passage having relatively constricted end portions vwith an enlarged ,intermediate portion, stalk-severing means located at the forward v end of the passage, stalk-straightening arms mounted for oscillation in advance of the stalk-severing means, a stalk-inverting drum,

journaled for rotation at' the forward porand endless conveyer belts mounted for orbital movement at the rear portion of the said stalk passage.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my sgna- 15 ture in the presence of two witnesses.

MEDERIC C. MOLLERE. lVt-nesses:

' CLIFTON C. LATHROP,

Enns LUIDRY. 

